Voices Of eXperience (VOX)

06/03/2026

People who live with the consequences of decisions should have a real voice in making them.

That means more than being “consulted”. It means the power to participate, to be heard, and to challenge decisions.

The Charter for Community Rights sets out practical rights to shift power back towards people and places.

Join the campaign!
https://charterfordemocracy.org/

06/03/2026

VOX Scotland began with people with lived experience coming together and demanding a voice. That's still what drives us.

If you have lived experience of mental ill health (past or present), you can join VOX for free. Read our story and join us
https://voxscotland.org.uk/our-story/

vox scotland Become a Vox Member Join Vox Scotland as a member for free and be part of changing Scotland for the better. Join Us – become a Vox Scotland member Our members shape everything we do at Vox Scotland. Our work is about making your voice heard and driving positive change for everyone who...

04/03/2026

A healthy home isn't a luxury - it's the foundation for wellbeing, safety, and dignity.

Too many people are living with damp, cold, unsafe housing, while communities have too little power to influence what gets built and where. Join our campaign for a Charter for Community Rights!

https://charterfordemocracy.org/

04/03/2026

Have you read our strategy for 2025 to 2028? It sets out what VOX is here to do over the next three years, and what members are telling us needs to change.

We want a Scotland where people with lived experience of mental ill health are heard, respected, and involved in the decisions that affect our lives.

That means pushing for change in services, but also looking wider, at the systems around mental health, including rights, policy, practice, and the barriers people face in everyday life.

Read the strategy here:

02/03/2026

A clean and healthy environment shouldn't depend on your postcode or income.

Communities need real rights to protect the places we live, not more empty talk. Sign the Charter for Community Rights - we need your voice!

https://charterfordemocracy.org/

02/03/2026

Join VOX Scotland! We are run by and for people with lived experience of mental ill health, and membership is free.

If you’re an individual with lived experience (past or present), you’re warmly welcome. There’s no need for a formal diagnosis.

If you’re part of an organisation or group, you can join too:

- Group membership is for mental health organisations or groups led by people with lived experience and/or people who use services.

- Supporter membership is for groups led by service providers, volunteers or carers who support people with lived experience.

Membership connects you to our work, helps shape what we focus on, and strengthens our collective voice to make change. Join us!

Sign up here:

vox scotland Become a Vox Member Join Vox Scotland as a member for free and be part of changing Scotland for the better. Join Us – become a Vox Scotland member Our members shape everything we do at Vox Scotland. Our work is about making your voice heard and driving positive change for everyone who...

27/02/2026

Want mental health policy and services in Scotland to be shaped by lived experience?

Join VOX Scotland. Membership is free, and you can join as:
• an individual (no diagnosis needed)
• an organisation or group
• a supporter member

When you join, you’ll get opportunities to hear what’s happening, add your voice to consultations, and support member-led change.

Sign up here:

vox scotland Become a Vox Member Join Vox Scotland as a member for free and be part of changing Scotland for the better. Join Us – become a Vox Scotland member Our members shape everything we do at Vox Scotland. Our work is about making your voice heard and driving positive change for everyone who...

25/02/2026

Knowing your rights can make a real difference when you are trying to get support.

In Scotland the main law is the 2003 Act, with important changes made by the 2015 Act.

VOX’s guide breaks down:
• what the law can allow
• what safeguards and rights exist
• what to do if you disagree with a decision

Read and save:

vox scotland Mental health Legislation How the law affects you and the treatment you receive. Knowing and understanding how the law affects you and the treatment you receive can really help you get the support you need, protect your rights and make your voice heard. Here you will find the 2013 and 2...

24/02/2026

If you become unwell and find it hard to explain what you want, an Advance Statement is your chance to say, in writing, how you want to be treated.

Under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, you can write an Advance Statement about your care and treatment, and it must be taken into account by the people making decisions about your care.

It can include things like:
• what treatments or medication work well for you
• what you do not want (including things that have caused side effects before)
• where you would prefer to receive treatment

We have a simple guide plus printable forms (Word and PDF) here:
https://voxscotland.org.uk/advance-statements/

(Please share with anyone who might find this useful)

vox scotland Advance Statements Your chance to say how you want to be treated. What is an Advance Statement? The 2003 Mental Health Act states that if you have a mental health condition, you can write an Advance Statement describing how you’d like to be treated if you become unwell and experience ...

20/02/2026

Last year, we published our report on psychiatry care in Scotland, shaped by hundreds of responses from people with lived experience. You told us what it feels like when care lacks continuity, when you keep having to repeat your story, and when the system feels harder to reach at the moments you most need it.

Your voice matters. It helps us work for change that really makes a difference.

Be part of making that change by joining VOX Scotland as a member. Membership is free, and you can join as:

- an individual (no diagnosis needed), or

- an organisation or group (group membership or supporter membership).

Read the full report here: https://voxscotland.org.uk/your-views/

Join here: https://voxscotland.org.uk/sign-up/

Lived Experience Report Highlights Need for More Permanent Psychiatrists to Improve the Continuity and Quality of Care VOX Scotland has today (Wednesday, 18th December) launched their report Your Views: Psychiatrists in Scotland and called on the Scottish Government to work with them to develop and....

18/02/2026

VOX Scotland is run by and for people with lived experience of mental ill health, and membership is free.

If you’re an individual with lived experience (past or present), you’re warmly welcome. There’s no need for a formal diagnosis.

If you’re part of an organisation or group, you can join too:

- Group membership is for mental health organisations or groups led by people with lived experience and/or people who use services.

- Supporter membership is for groups led by service providers, volunteers or carers who support people with lived experience.

Membership connects you to our work, helps shape what we focus on, and strengthens our collective voice to make change. Join us!

Sign up here:

vox scotland Become a Vox Member Join Vox Scotland as a member for free and be part of changing Scotland for the better. Join Us – become a Vox Scotland member Our members shape everything we do at Vox Scotland. Our work is about making your voice heard and driving positive change for everyone who...

12/02/2026

our evidence to the Scottish Parliament Health Committee’s pre-budget scrutiny put lived experience at the heart of funding discussion. People told us what works, what’s missing and why investment in rights-based, joined-up support matters. Read the full response